Burnout
by gpark511
Summary: After a tough case, Emily contemplates her future in the BAU with a little help from a friend...


**After a tough case, Emily contemplates her future in the BAU with a little help from a friend...**

Emily Prentiss sat alone in the dark on her couch nursing a now warm bottle of beer. She didn't think it would happen so soon but after their last case, she knew she was burned out. The thought of going back to work after the weekend filled her with dread and for a woman who loved her job that meant there was something wrong. She stared at the five empty bottles of beer on her coffee table, then at the one in her hand and she sighed heavily, flashing back to the moment the Unsub killed his last victim right in front of her. She had seen a lot in her time with the BAU and she knew it had been building towards something but this last case was the straw that broke the camels back.

A sudden ring from her cell startled her and she fumbled to pick it up off the coffee table. The caller ID told her it was Morgan and for a moment she contemplated whether or not to answer. If it were work related, it would be Hotch or JJ calling in which case she knew she wouldn't answer, she just couldn't handle it right now. But with Morgan she didn't know what it would be about so she pressed the green button and answered.

"Prentiss." Her voice was heavy and tired.

"Hey, sorry to bother you so late." He apologised. "You left one of your bags at the office. I thought I'd better check if you needed it over the weekend."

"Probably not." She sighed. "I'll get it later."

"You okay Prentiss?" Morgan asked. He had been a little worried about her after she witnessed the Unsub in their last case slash the throat of the last victim he abducted.

"Fine."

"Forgive me, but you don't sound fine."

"Well it's a good job it's none of your business." She snapped. Morgan was silent and Emily immediately felt guilty. "Sorry, I didn't mean that." She apologised immediately.

"What's going on Emily?" Morgan asked. He was known for his concern for co-workers and friends and Emily Prentiss was not exempt from that.

"Nothing is going on." She insisted. "I'm just tired and cranky."

"Look, I'm not far from your place. I can swing by, drop off your bag and maybe you can unload a little of whatever is eating at you." He suggested.

"You don't need to." She told him. She wasn't sure she wanted company, even if that company was the one person on her team she felt closest to. And she definitely wasn't sure she wanted to talk to Morgan about what was going on with her. She didn't really want to talk to anyone at all.

"I'll be over in twenty." He told her quickly before hanging up. He knew if he gave her a choice she'd convince him not to come and he didn't want to give her that chance. He knew something was bothering her and he wanted to help. As he drove across town, he started thinking about the past few weeks. Emily had definitely been grouchier than normal, distant with the team and she was the first one out the door at the end of the day. He had also noticed she looked tired, like she wasn't sleeping and she lacked her usual charm and wit. He had seen these symptoms in someone else he cared about and he didn't want the same to happen to Emily.

Emily glanced around her living room, checking it was fit for company. She spent a lot of time away so there wasn't much to tidy up. But the one thing she did was dispose of the beer bottles in the garbage can in her kitchen. She didn't want Derek to see she had been drinking alone, she knew what he would think. She contemplated changing out of her old jeans and t-shirt but she didn't have the energy, so she just pulled her hair back into a ponytail, turned on a couple of lamps and sat down on the couch to wait.

When the doorbell rang a short time later, Emily pulled herself up and padded through her hall in her bare feet to answer it. Morgan stood on the other side, her bag in one hand and a pizza box in the other.

"Thought you might want a late dinner too." He smiled. Emily stood aside and let him in. He dropped her bag near the door and took a look around. He had never been inside her home before and was pleasantly surprised by the decor. It was eclectic and he noticed several Middle Eastern artefacts, heralding back to her childhood.

"Drink?" Emily asked.

"Sure." He replied as he followed her to the kitchen. She headed for the fridge while Morgan put the pizza down and leaned on the counter. His eyes drifted around the room and he caught sight of the garbage bin under the table. His eyebrows rose as he saw the empty beer bottles inside. Unless Emily was messy and didn't empty her trash before they left on the case, she had been drinking a fair amount since she got home just a couple of hours earlier.

"Beer?" she asked. Morgan nodded as she took two more bottles from the fridge and opened them, handing one to him. With her beer in her hand, she headed back to her lounge. Morgan followed with his bottle and the pizza. He was unsettled by her demeanour and virtual silence.

In the darkened lounge, Emily curled up on the brown leather couch while Derek sat in a dark green striped fabric armchair, the pizza box open in front of him. He gave Emily a few minutes to start but when it became clear she wasn't in the talking mood he took the lead.

"What's going on Emily?" He asked, leaning forward. "And don't give me some line. I want the truth." She remained silent, staring down at her lap.

"Emily, anything you tell me is between us unless you say otherwise, you can trust me." He stared at her but she refused to look up and meet his gaze.

"How do you do it?" she finally asked.

"Do what?"

"You've been in the BAU longer than anyone, besides Hotch. How do keep doing it? All the unsubs, all the victims..." she shook her head.

"Emily, are you thinking about quitting?" Morgan asked suddenly.

"I don't know." She shrugged and took a gulp of beer. "Haven't you thought about it before?"

"No." He shook his head. Emily looked surprised. "What we do Emily, its important. And I can't imagine doing anything else."

"I can." She said quietly. Morgan rose from his chair and moved over beside Emily. Her eyes were cast down and she fidgeted with the label on her bottle.

"You know Emily, in the last few years we've made a big difference to a lot of people's lives. The work is hard, I get that. And this job definitely isn't for everyone. But you're good, too good to be back doing some desk job." Emily stayed silent and that worried Morgan. He could see the redness in her eyes and the bags under them.

"Come on Prentiss, talk to me." He reached out and took her hand in his.

"I don't think I can do it anymore." She sighed heavily. Tears burned behind her eyes but she did not want to cry in front of Morgan.

"Where's this coming from?" he asked, his thumb stroking the soft skin of her hand. Emily kept her eyes focused on her lap. "Emily, please." He begged. He knew he had to get her to talk about whatever it was that had her so upset.

After a few moments of silence, Emily finally spoke again.

"I can't sleep anymore. All I dream about are killers and crime scenes, dead and mutilated bodies. I've seen too much and I'm not sure I want to see any more."

"When was the last time you had a good night's sleep?" Morgan asked.

"Without drinking?" she replied flatly.

"Is that why there's the contents of a six pack in your trash?" he asked with concern. Emily pulled her hand away from him. "Look, I'm not judging you."

"It sure sounds that way."

"Drinking to forget, it's a dangerous path Emily. I care about you..." Emily's eyes widened. "That's right Prentiss, I care." He smiled.

"It's been a long time since anyone's told me that." She admitted. Morgan moved over a little more and put his arm around her shoulder.

"Look, if moving on is what you have to do then I get it. I'll miss working with you, and messing with you." He joked. It got a smile from Emily but also some unexpected tears. "Hey," he wiped them from her cheek gently. "Why the tears?"

"I can't..." She shook her head and let the tears fall. She was physically tired but also emotionally exhausted and she couldn't hold them back anymore.

"Listen, I'll talk to Hotch in the morning." Morgan reassuringly squeezed her shoulder. "Take some personal time. Relax, unwind and get your head straight. If you still think you need to transfer then that's what you have to do. But just think about it for a while first." He told her.

"Okay." She sniffed. "Morgan." She looked up at his still concerned face. "Thank you."

"Hey, it's what friends are for." He said as he pulled her in for a hug. Emily wrapped her arms around his neck and embraced him tightly. He made her feel safe and sane and she didn't want to let go but she knew she had to so she pulled back and wiped her face. Settling back into the couch she felt lighter, like some of the weight she had been carrying around had been lifted. Her eyes then drifted over to look at the box on the coffee table.

"Is that pizza still warm?"

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